AN: Hope you enjoy reading~

Chapter 17:

Samuel raced up the stairs of the palace with Zeroken right behind him. He could hear the noises of battle inside, and as they reached the top step; they were forced to dart to the right as the body of a horseman came flying at them. Hitting the ground, only to bounce once and disintegrate into the ether.

Nervously, Samuel and Zeroken shared a glance before they turned and hurried inside.

The attack that horseman had received must have been a powerful one.

Likely from the source of that dark, malicious energy.

The throne room was as devastated as the rest of the Netherworld. Yet, the destruction seemed fairly recent. A great battle, or needless destruction, had recently taken place.

A war cry caused Samuel to pause in his step once more. He grabbed Zeroken by the collar once more and held him back as well as they caught a glimpse of Red Magnus flying in their direction. His feet skidded across the ground, kicking up dust and small stones and bits of debris. He staggered to a stop and fell to a knee, panting loudly as he rested heavily on his spear.

"O-Old man?!" Zeroken stuttered out.

Red Magnus glanced over his shoulder at them before quickly looking forward, his back and shoulders becoming tense. "Stay back Zero, S-Man; Killia has lost his mind!" He stood up, picking up his spear and took a step forward.

He then paused, his head snapping up as if a thought had just occurred to him and he turned around. And looked at the two of them, eyes wide and mouth open in an expression that was both surprised and shocked.

"Wait…Zero, S-man? You're alive?"

Samuel blinked. "What?"

"What do you mean, Old Man?" Zeroken returned with a frown. "Of course, we are! Did you think we'd fall to the Lost that easily?"

"What made you think we weren't?" Samuel asked.

As soon as those words left his lips, Samuel gaze flickered over Red Magnus' shoulder to the figure that stood before the broken thrones. The figure himself was familiar, and yet he was also unfamiliar.

Red hair and pitch-black eyes with red irises. And a smile that was as malicious as it was sadistic.

Killia…

No, it was Killidia.

The stress and strain of leadership and war had gotten to him, allowing for Killidia to grow stronger and stronger. Samuel should have noticed. He should have realised that telling him about his past was only adding to his stress.

He should have played ignorant until at least the war was over.

It…was too late now.

He needed to wake Killia up now.

Samuel threw aside his borrowed bow and arrow sachet. "Zeroken, Red Magnus; stay back. I'll handle this."

"But-"

"I know what I'm doing," Samuel interrupted Zeroken. "Trust me."

Before Zeroken and Red Magnus had the chance to argue, Samuel raced forward. He did not exactly have a plan in mind. He honestly did not need one. He just needed Killidia to see him. To know that he was still alive.

That was how it happened, wasn't it? Killia thought he was dead? That was why Killidia had been unleashed, wasn't it?

Pushing that thought aside, Samuel raced up the stairs to the throne and stepped in front of Christo and Usalia, and directly in front of Killidia.

Samuel bypassed his outstretched hands and arms and reached up to frame Killidia's face with his hands. "That's enough," he said softly as he came to rest against his body. "I'm fine."

Killidia's dark eyes widened and the sadistic smirk disappeared, his features smoothening out in an expression of surprise. And relief.

His eyes then changed back to Killia's usual honey golden eyes and Samuel knew that Killia was back in control.

He was back…

Then, Killia's arms were around him, holding him against his chest, with Samuel's chin upon his shoulder while Killia's face was buried in the curve of his neck. Because of the slight height differences between them, Samuel's head was tilted back slightly, his eyes staring up at the broken and cracked ceiling of the palace.

He hugged him.

Tightly.

Killia…

He truly thought…

Samuel felt Killia lean against him, placing his full body weight against his, and he knew that he was about to pass out. He quickly slipped his arms around him, one around his waist as the other crossed his back to slip his fingers through the hairs on the nape of his neck.

Carefully, he held Killia against him as he dropped to his knees. He dropped back to rest on his heels as he lowered Killia to the floor as he would be far more comfortable there. He laid Killia's upper body across his lap and cradled his head against his chest, releasing a sigh when he realised that he was unconscious.

That sadistic malice that had permeated the air like a dense and suffocating fog had vanished.

Samuel pulled him close, resting his chin against Killia's forehead as he took a moment to assess him for any ailments or injuries. Yet, there was nothing of concern. A few strain muscles and obvious signs of fatigue.

He was fine, thankfully.

He…was to be remorseful when he awakened, however. He worked so hard to keep Killidia at bay.

Killia…

Samuel uttered another sigh. He turned toward Christo, only then realising that Usalia had a hold of a barely conscious and injured Seraphina. Which was a surprising sight.

Zeroken skidded onto the scene with Red Magnus right behind him. "What's going on? What happened to Bro? And Sis?"

"You two are unharmed?" Christo ignored Zeroken's questions, instead turning the questioning around onto them. "But Samuel's axe and Zeroken's headband?"

Christo motioned toward the throne with a short wave of his hand. Where an axe, rather Samuel's axe, was found embedded into the stone. And lying next to it was a folded piece of material. Rather innoxious, if Samuel was to be honest.

But if told otherwise…

"Oh, there it is," Zeroken said as he walked over to axe and picked up the material, dusting it off casually before promptly flipping his hair back and setting the hairband back in place. "Told you it was stolen."

Samuel was unable to prevent a frown. "I lost my axe in the scuffle," he began to explain. "But I stole a soldier's bow. I can use both, thankfully. I just prefer the axe as it keeps me on the frontline."

"And my headband was stolen during the fight also," Zeroken added. "But with Samuel using the bow and elemental skills, we were able to work on both front and back lines and defeat the Lost Soldiers easily. It was hardly life or death."

Yeah. Don't get him wrong, it wasn't a walk in the park. They were elite soldiers. But they didn't scrape through by the skin of their teeth.

But Killia and the others would not have known that.

And if Seraphina had been badly injured before Killia was told that Samuel and Zeroken was lost in battle, it was little surprised that Killidia was unleashed. It was too much, too quickly.

"I wonder why your axe and headband was stolen," Christo mused allowed. He glanced over at Killia that rested silently in Samuel's arms and uttered a sigh. "Likely to get such a reaction out of Killia."

How could they have known of Killidia, though? No, they could not have known. By unleashing him, they had signed their own death warrants. He had brutalised them. There were none of them left, after all.

No, they likely wanted to enrage him in hopes of him becoming blind with raw anger.

They hadn't actually anticipated that they would reawaken Tyrant Overlord Killidia.

"Never mind the semantics for now," Samuel said as he readjusted his hold on Killia. "Let's discuss this more when we return to the Pocket Netherworld. Red Magnus, can you destroy the spear?"

Red Magnus looked over at him and nodded. "Y-yeah. That won't be a problem."

"Good. Let's…let's set out to do what we came here to do, then."

"Right."

… … … … …

Samuel dipped a white cloth into a bowl of cool water, wrung out the excess water, folded it in half, and placed it upon Killia's forehead. His brow twitched slightly at the pressure of the cloth but remained unmoved otherwise.

He would be unconscious for a few hours yet.

At least he was safe in the Nether-hospital back at the Pocket Netherworld. As was everyone else.

The sound of someone approaching pulled Samuel out of his vigil. He looked up, his gaze colliding with that of Christo's. He was not alone, either. Usalia and Zeroken was with him.

"How is he?" Christo asked.

"Resting."

"Yes, resting."

Samuel furrowed his brow as he looked around Christo, surprised and mildly annoyed to find that Seraphina was up and about with her injuries. She walked toward them, surrounded by a couple of her handmaids, followed by a frowning Red Magnus.

"No thanks to you," Seraphina continued, scowling directly at Samuel. "You had to go out on your own and put more stress on Sir Killia."

She had received an attack to the back that rendered her unconscious and yet she was somehow up and about spitting out spiteful verbal attacks and insults. That girl was something else.

Oh, how he wished that attack had severed her tongue instead!

Samuel turned around; his attention focused entirely on her. "Don't you dare try to pin this on me, Seraphina. You were the one barking orders and making demands. Wasn't it your idea that Zeroken and I separate from everyone? Just so you can have Killia to yourself? How did that work out for you?"

Despite her bandages and looking paler than usual, Seraphina planted her hands on her hips and huffed. "I did it with Sir Killia's best interest at heart."

Samuel almost laughed. "I sincerely doubt that. Your best interest most likely."

Seraphina reached behind her and retrieved her guns.

And Samuel twitched.

That was it! After all the sniping he had endured that day, he had it up to here with her. She was the most insufferable, violent, antagonistic demon he had ever met.

"There you go again, getting your guns out and threatening someone. And you dare to call Red Magnus a violent muscle-head when this is your reaction to every little conversation, every little incident you don't like."

He stepped forward, manifesting a magic circle with his right hand, prompting Christo to grab him by the shoulders in an attempt to hold him back. "Well, you better not miss. And you better not be surprised and indignant if I decide to respond with violence of my own."

Seraphina had the audacity to look astounded and incensed by his response. It was perfectly ok for her to react with the promise of violence, but how dare anyone respond in kind? She truly was a pampered princess.

Usalia darted forward suddenly and placed herself between them. "Seraphina, put your weapons away! Samuel was the one that brought Killia back to us, plip."

Silence fell over them and everyone fell still.

Surprisingly, Seraphina put away her guns and childishly turned her back toward him. Samuel dismissed the magic circle and turned away as well, turning his attention back to Killia. He leaned down and readjusted the wet cloth on his forehead in an attempt to busy himself, and to soothe down his own anger.

Christo uttered a drawn-out sigh. "We must put our differences aside and concentrate on what happened here today."

"What is there to work out?" Seraphina quipped. "Sir Killia only truly became unbalanced when he thought he lost me."

But Usalia shook her head. "Um, actually, it happened when he thought he lost Samuel and Zeroken, too."

"Yes. It was an accumulation of events that brought out this other Killia-"

"Killidia," Samuel interrupted.

Christo turned to him. "Pardon?"

Samuel sighed as he turned to face everyone again. "This other Killia. He's called Killidia. I've dealt with him before."

"Killidia?" Red Magnus repeated. "As in Tyrant Overlord Killidia? When?"

"A couple of times in the past, only when Killia was stressed or hadn't eaten enough." Samuel decided to be vague as he had not spoken with Killia about his other self yet. "He has never harmed me, so I never brought it up."

It honestly wasn't something you could just bring up in normal conversation, now was it?

"But why keep it hidden?" Red Magnus asked. "I totally wanted to go toe to toe with Killidia!"

He did today, didn't he? Didn't exactly work out well for him.

"The Killidia I met wasn't interested in battling. In fact, he was actually protective."

And a bit possessive. Not that Samuel minded too much, if he was to be honest.

Christo stared at him for a moment, his expression curious. "…You know," he began slowly, "I remember hearing this Killidia murmur something while he was battling the Lost. I'm adlibbing here, but something along the lines of; "that fool royally messed up by losing him. I'll never forgive him for that"."

Samuel looked back at Christo, his eyes wide. "H-he said that?"

Christo continue to stare intently at him as he pushed at the bridge of his glasses. "Who was he referring to?"

"…" Samuel tried to respond, but not words came out. His eyes flickered over to Killia lying silently on the hospital bed and a prang of guilt pierced his chest.

Killidia being unleashed was because…

"He was talking about you, wasn't he?"

"He couldn't be," Seraphina suddenly, desperately insisted. "You must have misheard. There is no way he would be talking about him."

"No," Christo said sharply. "He was definitely talking about Samuel."

The way he reacted when he saw that he was alive…

"I shouldn't have left him…" Samuel murmured, clutching at his own chest. "I was just trying to ease his burdens."

Killia…

Sorry.

"I'm going to make some curry for Killia for when he wakes up," Samuel announced as he turned away from Killia's bed. "He'll be hungry, and he'll want food to suppress his other self. It'll also make him feel better."

Usalia walked overed and joined him on his left. "I'll help, too, plip."

And Zeroken joined him on his right. "Me, too. I want to help."

Samuel looked at the two and nodded, a soft smile on his lips. "Of course. I still owe you that pork curry, Wolf Pup."

"Th-that's right." Zeroken trailed his fingertips over his headband. "We took on a whole band of the Lost, didn't we? Things could have gone a lot worse if we hadn't."

"That's right. They could have." A lot of things could have happened. "We'll be sure to tell Killia all about it when he wakes up."

Samuel refused to look at Seraphina as he walked past. He did note that her maids ask her to return to her quarters in order for her to get some much-needed rest.

They…all needed rest, honestly. It had been a very trying day.

Entering the kitchen designated solely for the preparation and cooking of curry was oddly comforting, and Samuel immediately threw himself into setting up preparations. Of course, he made sure to give Usalia and Zeroken a few tasks to keep themselves busy, too.

He was sure the two just needed something to do to distract themselves. Usalia especially as she had witnessed first-hand the ruthless and devastating power Tyrant Overlord Killidia had at his disposal. It would have also left her upset and rattled seeing Killia lose his composure.

Killia, who had been everyone's strength throughout their personal trials.

"You and Seraphina don't like each other very much, do you?" Usalia asked him suddenly, the second to do so.

Samuel pushed aside the need to scowl and simply shook his head. "No, we don't," he said, as calmly as he could. "We're constantly clashing over Killia. I don't have anything nice to say about her. And I know she doesn't have anything good to say about me."

There was no doubt that she was ranting about him back in her corner of the Netherworld. Possibly in plotting up ways of getting rid of him. He had better what his back. He might get hit over the head with something and wind up trapped in a crate to be shipped off to parts unknown if Seraphina had her way.

Killia would never allow it, but he…was currently resting. And those maids of hers were loyal to a fault.

"Seraphina has feelings for Killia, plip."

That time, Samuel could not stop himself from wincing. "She has a funny way of showing it. Even if that is true; Killia is under no obligation to return her feelings."

Throwing yourself in front of someone to take an attack? She was so quick with her guns, could she not instead shoot the threat? Take them out to stop them from hurting anyone? Did she not notice how negatively Killia reacted the last time she threw herself in front of him? Did she do it in hopes that Killia would save her again? Or was it an excuse for her to later use against him in the future?

Could she not think ahead for once?

…Was that too harsh? What had gotten into him?

That girl…ugh, she just infuriated him!

C-calm down. He was acting unlike himself. He…he did not need to be so brutal. It was not like Killia saw himself having a future with Seraphina. He said so himself. And that was not the issue, anyway. That was not what was important.

Killia's well-being was what was important. Samuel's squabbles with Seraphina were insignificant.

"You two, I'm sorry you had to witness that," Samuel said. "Don't feel that you need to take sides. It's between me and Seraphina. Besides, at the end of the day, we're all on the same side."

"We understand, plip," Usuali returned.

Zeroken nodded. "You're both just worried about Bro. By the way, you and Bro are really close."

Samuel gave Zeroken a small smile. "Yeah. I guess that is where my irritation stems from. I'm protective."

It wasn't entirely protectiveness that spurred his actions, though…

"Weren't you afraid, plip?" Usalia suddenly asked him.

Samuel paused in his preparations and regarded her curiously. "Hm? Of what?"

"When Killia was Killidia."

"Oh no, why would I be?" Samuel replied with a smile as he promptly returned to his cooking. "As I said, I've dealt with Killidia a couple of times before. Whether he's Killia or Killidia, he would never hurt me."

If he wanted to, he had numerous opportunities; they shared a room. He could have done something while Samuel was asleep.

But he hadn't. He never wanted to.

"We need to let this curry simmer for a while now. I'm just going to pop out and check on Killia. You two be all right here?"

Usalia nodded. "We're ok. We'll make sure Killia will have lots of delicious curry when he wakes up, plip."

Good. He would appreciate it.

Samuel ruffled their hairs on both of their heads. "I'll be back soon."

He turned on his heel and walked out of the kitchen. It did not take him long to cross the Pocket Netherworld to the hospital, which he found uncharacteristically empty. Killia's corner of the ward was silent, and he laid alone.

It…hurt to see him like that.

Samuel approached his bed and sat down on the edge, leaning forward to feel his forehead. Good, his fever had broken. He just needed to sleep now. To rest properly. He likely had not done so for many days and nights.

"Killia…I'm sorry," Samuel murmured as he brushed aside a strand of his dark hair from his forehead. "I've been putting unnecessary stress on you. I shouldn't have burdened you with my past. I'll keep everything to myself from now on. I just…"

No. Halflings were abominations. They were meant to be alone. He remembered those words. They were uttered to him often.

He should try to find a way back to his homeworld. That was where he belonged. Neither angel or demon. He could not cause trouble there, in the prison of Nugatory. He could not cause trouble for Killia there.

But…

A loud explosion in the direction of the main console suddenly erupted and shook the area, and Samuel instinctively threw himself forward in an attempt to shield Killia from any possible debris. He snapped his head up, looking toward the main bridge. From where he was angled, he could not see properly.

Noting that there did not appear to be any immediate danger to Killia safety, he leapt to his feet, taking a moment to pull the simple paper curtain to offer a feeble cover for Killia. He rushed out of the hospital and into the main area of the Netherworld along with everyone else. And quickly narrowed in onto where they were looking at.

A Wrestler he did not know or recognise stood atop of the stairs.

"Aha-hahaha, amazing! Amazing! So, he was right, this is the HQ of the Rebel Army!"

No…had someone from the Lost found them?!

As everyone around him began to scurry about, preparing to defend themselves and their Pocket Netherworld against their invader, Samuel froze to the spot as his breath hitched in his throat.

The overwhelming presence of power. The unassuming sweet smell of dew. The pulsating grey veins in the middle of Brutus's chest. A primal feeling underlying a sense of sadism and malice.

He had felt all of that before. The images. The memories. They all came rushing to the forefront of his mind.

There was no doubt. No doubt at all that this demon, this Wrestler was enhanced with a Seedling. A Seedling. A powerful magical object that granted power beyond imagination. For only a short time. And the cost was high.

His memories…they were real.

"Overlord Brutus demands your attention!" the Wrestler bellowed. "Now, where is that leader of the Rebel Army?!"

He was after Killia…?

No. That was not going to happen!